#5 ToK Class

Ok. Following up from the previous class, we continued with a branch of reasoning: opinions.

Now this, I found fairly interesting.There is a difference between knowledge and true opinion. Knowledge is when you actually KNOW what you’re talking about (meaning that it is proven or just simply exists in that form/state) and true opinion is when you THINK you know something, but its actually just [false] information passed to you by others and you’ve just simply accepted it.

Well, if you actually went about inquiring about everything that you have ever been led to believe (or “know”), then that will simply mean that “you will be 70 years old and I’d say you’ll only have found out the truth about 5% of everything you’ve ever known” – Mr. MacKnight.

Waste of life, indeed.

Moving on….

The discussion of knowledge and opinion then progressed to rational reasoning and stereotypical belief. We threw in several things into this discussion for some… variety.

Muslims and Terrorists :O

Ok, let’s take a look at these two statements:

1. All terrorists are Muslims.

2. X is a terrorist.

3. Therefore, X is a Muslim. <- looks logical, right?

We put these examples into real-life scenarios involving Muslims getting on a plane (sound familiar?) and discussed about people being prejudice. Basically, a person is being prejudice if they reach a conclusion while only having knowledge about one of the opposing sides.

Prejudice: don’t be.

All you’re doing is coming to an unbalanced conclusion and not giving the other side the opportunity to present their side of the story.

Bertrand Russell on Skepticism

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But if philosophy is to serve a positive purpose, it must not teach mere skepticism, for, while the dogmatist is harmful, the skeptic is useless. Dogmatism and skepticism are both, in a sense, absolute philosophies; one is certain of knowing, the other of not knowing. What philosophy should dissipate is certainty, whether of knowledge or of ignorance. Knowledge is not so precise a concept as is commonly thought. Instead of saying "I know this," we ought to say "I more or less know something more or less like this."

Your Daily Chinese Character

Comments . . .

. . . are open only to students of the class, but if you are a non-student and would like to comment you can email Mr. MacKnight at ericmacknight AT mac DOT com.

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Is TOK a Philosophy Course?

YES, in the sense that the name of the course itself is in any dictionary effectively synonymous with "epistemology."

NO, in the sense that IB-specific ToK has many philosophical elements, but is not just philosophy. ToK is at root an interdiscipinary course that allows students to become aware of how the six subject-groups on the corners on the Diploma hexagon overlap and integrate. The interdisciplinary aspect is the crucial thing . . . .